Driving During Alcohol Hangover Among Dutch Professional Truck Drivers

Objectives: Alcohol hangover may impair potentially dangerous daily activities such as driving a car or operating heavy machinery. The purpose of the present study was to determine (1) whether driving during alcohol hangover is a problem of concern among professional Dutch truck drivers and (2) to what extent they think their hangover state affects driving performance. Methods: Three hundred forty-three professional truck drivers were interviewed at a Dutch trucker festival. In addition to demographics, data were gathered on normal driving, alcohol consumption and hangover, and driving style during alcohol hangover. Results: More than half of the professional drivers who consume alcohol and report occasionally having a hangover (56.4%) acknowledge that they have driven while having a hangover during the past year: 26.5 percent only when driving private, 2.6 percent only when driving professionally, and 27.4 percent both private and professionally. Additionally, 45.3 percent reported driving while having a hangover sometimes, whereas 7.7 percent and 1.7 percent reported doing so often or always, respectively. During alcohol hangover, professional drivers rated their driving style as significantly less relaxed, less safe, and less responsible (P < .001). Conclusions: Driving with a hangover is a common phenomenon, and professional drivers acknowledge that their driving is impaired. Therefore, future experimental research should examine the magnitude of impairment while driving with an alcohol hangover.